THE ex-boyfriend of model Kelly Brook crashed a van full of dead badgers into a bus shelter in Gloucester during the controversial cull, a court heard this morning.

Former Royal Marine David McIntosh, 28, a TV personality and 'hired security operative', was hired to transport the dead animals but crashed into a bus stop.

McIntosh, from Altrincham, did not appear at Stroud Magistrates' Court to face charges of driving without due care and attention and driving without a licence but pleaded guilty to both offences by post.

In his letter, which was read out in court, the former Gladiator star said he was distracted when a radio fell from the VW Transporter van he was driving in Worcester Street around 12.50am on Sunday, September 29.

"I was carrying badger carcasses to the furnace," the letter read.

"The radio was always kept on the vehicle dashboard so we could hear updates from the police about protesters.

"It slipped off the dashboard and my only option was to take my eyes off the road and reach for it.

"I tried to brake but I was too late."

However, his passenger John Parker, who was injured in the incident, told police officers that he believed McIntosh had fallen asleep at the wheel.

In a statement read out in court Mr Parker said: "We were travelling from Tewkesbury to Maisemore.

"I was checking my phone and looked up after feeling the vehicle change direction.

"I saw the bus stop in front of me and shouted.

"I can't say if he was asleep or not, but when I looked at David both of his hands were on the wheel, but his head was on his chest. I believe his eyes were shut."

The court heard that McIntosh, of Kentmere Road, in Timperley, Altrincham, was a driver for the Royal Marines and had served in Afghanistan.

The address given in court for McIntosh matches the business of his company, Next Generation Fitness Ltd.

In his letter he said he contacted DVLA after the incident and was told that his licence was revoked in 2005 for going through a red light.

"I have had numerous hire cars and have been stopped by police for random checks and not once was it flagged up," he said in his letter.

He also said he was unemployed - which a judge said she had taken into account when deciding the size of the fine.

District Judge Joti Bopa Rai said: "This is a case of driving without due care and attention and driving with a revoked licence.

"I have heard that this was part of the badger cull operation.

"I have to exclude anything to do with the badger cull. I am looking at the driving of an individual."

McIntosh was fined £91 and was ordered to pay £30 costs with a £20 victim surcharge and his licence was endorsed with six penalty points.

Anti badger cull campaigners mounted a demonstration outside the court with placards and sat in the public gallery during the hearing.

After the hearing they called for clarity on the contact between cull operators and the police during the cull.

Gloucestershire Police released this statement today: "We are aware that David McIntosh today pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention and driving other than in accordance with a licence, following a road traffic collision in September last year. We are also aware of his reasons for that crash.

"We would like to make it perfectly clear that at no point during the pilot badger cull did police communicate the location of protesters to any contractors.

"Throughout Operation Themis, the policing response to the pilot badger cull, we have maintained our operational independence and ensured the safety of the public.

"We are now investigating the comments made by Mr McIntosh and determining if any further action is appropriate."

Comments

oldlongdog
5:09pm Wed 12 Mar 14

No mention in court of a breath test... Also the accident happened at 00.50 in the morning but the driver was not then interviewed until the following day. Twice during the evidence presented the defendant was referred to as 'Daniel' even though his name is David. All very odd. Even more odd was the fact the driver claimed to be travelling from Tewkesbury to Maisemore but crashed in Worcester Street in the centre of Gloucester. What was he doing there?

However, what was he (a private commercial contractor) doing with a radio used to contact police for intelligence on protesters? Why were the police giving out operational information on law abiding citizens to a private commercial contractor? Was it a police radio? Was he risk assessed and trained for use of a (police?) radio while driving? If he'd been using a hand-held mobile that would be against the law. It is clear he claims this radio contributed to the accident.

This case shows up police claims that they acted impartially towards cullers and lawful protesters. It also shows the cull company to be negligent in not checking the driver's licence. The passenger claimed in evidence that he remained a "colleague' of the driver for a further two weeks. Does that mean he was still driving?

The cull operations were an amateurish shambles from start to finish and the questions over the safety of the cull and the police's shady role in it keep on coming.

No mention in court of a breath test... Also the accident happened at 00.50 in the morning but the driver was not then interviewed until the following day. Twice during the evidence presented the defendant was referred to as 'Daniel' even though his name is David. All very odd. Even more odd was the fact the driver claimed to be travelling from Tewkesbury to Maisemore but crashed in Worcester Street in the centre of Gloucester. What was he doing there?
However, what was he (a private commercial contractor) doing with a radio used to contact police for intelligence on protesters? Why were the police giving out operational information on law abiding citizens to a private commercial contractor? Was it a police radio? Was he risk assessed and trained for use of a (police?) radio while driving? If he'd been using a hand-held mobile that would be against the law. It is clear he claims this radio contributed to the accident.
This case shows up police claims that they acted impartially towards cullers and lawful protesters. It also shows the cull company to be negligent in not checking the driver's licence. The passenger claimed in evidence that he remained a "colleague' of the driver for a further two weeks. Does that mean he was still driving?
The cull operations were an amateurish shambles from start to finish and the questions over the safety of the cull and the police's shady role in it keep on coming.oldlongdog

No mention in court of a breath test... Also the accident happened at 00.50 in the morning but the driver was not then interviewed until the following day. Twice during the evidence presented the defendant was referred to as 'Daniel' even though his name is David. All very odd. Even more odd was the fact the driver claimed to be travelling from Tewkesbury to Maisemore but crashed in Worcester Street in the centre of Gloucester. What was he doing there?

However, what was he (a private commercial contractor) doing with a radio used to contact police for intelligence on protesters? Why were the police giving out operational information on law abiding citizens to a private commercial contractor? Was it a police radio? Was he risk assessed and trained for use of a (police?) radio while driving? If he'd been using a hand-held mobile that would be against the law. It is clear he claims this radio contributed to the accident.

This case shows up police claims that they acted impartially towards cullers and lawful protesters. It also shows the cull company to be negligent in not checking the driver's licence. The passenger claimed in evidence that he remained a "colleague' of the driver for a further two weeks. Does that mean he was still driving?

The cull operations were an amateurish shambles from start to finish and the questions over the safety of the cull and the police's shady role in it keep on coming.

Score: 7

oldlongdog
5:16pm Wed 12 Mar 14

Oh, and I nearly forgot; no mention was made of the condition of the badgers and why the City Council were called in to do a proper environmental 'clean up'. Given that the leaked IEP report told us that road-kill badgers were being included with the corpses being sent for incineration then did the police check to see if those in the van had been shot or run over?

And given that adding road-kill badgers meant getting paid for animals that weren't culled, will anyone be done for fraud (obtaining money by deception)? And as being in possession of a badger that is not part of a licenced cull is an offence under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, will anyone be prosecuted for that? And, come to think of it, how can we now relay on the government's figures for the number of badgers culled? How many were in fact run over?

Are we being let down here or being conned?

Oh, and I nearly forgot; no mention was made of the condition of the badgers and why the City Council were called in to do a proper environmental 'clean up'. Given that the leaked IEP report told us that road-kill badgers were being included with the corpses being sent for incineration then did the police check to see if those in the van had been shot or run over?
And given that adding road-kill badgers meant getting paid for animals that weren't culled, will anyone be done for fraud (obtaining money by deception)? And as being in possession of a badger that is not part of a licenced cull is an offence under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, will anyone be prosecuted for that? And, come to think of it, how can we now relay on the government's figures for the number of badgers culled? How many were in fact run over?
Are we being let down here or being conned?oldlongdog

Oh, and I nearly forgot; no mention was made of the condition of the badgers and why the City Council were called in to do a proper environmental 'clean up'. Given that the leaked IEP report told us that road-kill badgers were being included with the corpses being sent for incineration then did the police check to see if those in the van had been shot or run over?

And given that adding road-kill badgers meant getting paid for animals that weren't culled, will anyone be done for fraud (obtaining money by deception)? And as being in possession of a badger that is not part of a licenced cull is an offence under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, will anyone be prosecuted for that? And, come to think of it, how can we now relay on the government's figures for the number of badgers culled? How many were in fact run over?

Are we being let down here or being conned?

Score: 5

A Stroud Worm
12:35pm Thu 13 Mar 14

Stop calling him the "ex-boyfriend of model Kelly Brook". He's probably contending with enough public shame and embarressment already.

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